Children vote; cookie crumbles

Chips Ahoy advocates take heed: Oreos are toppling their chewy rivals in local elections.

Oreos marginally defeated Chips Ahoy Thursday in Jackson's Primary Annex kindergartners' election of the snack of the day.

Black, crumb-coated and gap-toothed smiles coursed the winners' circles while the loss bitterly stung some of the ardent Chips Ahoy advocates. One boy, at least, cried while eating his Oreo.

The election took place at the Cape Girardeau County administration offices in Jackson and was a hands-on lesson on voting -- both the process and acceptance of the consequences of majority rule.

As a warmup, the children used punch card ballots in mock elections involving historically prominent politicians.

Five-year-old Kassidy Adams picked John Quincy Adams over James Monroe because she shares his last name, and she voted for Andrew Jackson over Martin Van Buren because she lives in the town that bears his name.

Then, county clerk Patty Schlosser distributed special ballots for the cookie elections. The ballots featured a large box beside each of the two contenders where students marked an "X" near the cookie of their choice.

Before the results were in, Ethan Gary, 5, vowed not to "throw a fit" if Oreo won, but he seemed hardened to the whole election process.

"A better way would be to just pick whatever one you want when you want it," he said.

Schlosser and kindergarten teachers Pam Olson and Stacy Elfrink monitored the election. Contrary to convention, they allowed campaign propaganda -- two posters touting the advantages of each cookie -- into the voting area.

Schlosser used the posters, ballots and real voting booths to simulate the political elections of the adult world.

After talking about voting in class, Elfrink said that she "thought the children could make a decision and stand by it."

When asked how she and her field trip buddy would vote, Ashleigh Roberts responded, "we don't know, we're only 5."

Nearby, Jared Pipkin, 5, overheard the question and responded, "I know what I'm going to be for Halloween -- a gremlin."

Before Schlosser announced the results, 6-year-old Lauren Mouser said that, if Oreos won, she would stand up and say that she doesn't like them. In spite of her fierce Chips Ahoy loyalty, after the election she adopted a more centrist position and ate the Oreo.

rgoodier@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127